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Saturday, December 11, 2004
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Schneier on Security: Hacking Faxes
Schneier on Security: Hacking Faxes
Faxes are wide open for attack. I think most people blindly accept FAXen as original documents (even though they aren't) because they simply look like original documents. "Good enough for me", they say. Most of the time, this works, but it's a target which can be broken.
Faxes are wide open for attack. I think most people blindly accept FAXen as original documents (even though they aren't) because they simply look like original documents. "Good enough for me", they say. Most of the time, this works, but it's a target which can be broken.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel
I had the opportunity to spend a delightful weekend in Rome with my family. Of course, we endured the queues and were successful in visiting the Vatican Museum. Surely there is no other place on Earth like it.
The biggest surprise to me was the Sistine Chapel. Yes, it is stagering in its beauty. However the biggest surprise was how unsafe it appeared to be. One small door in. One small door out. Despite this, thousands of people squeezed into a very small space indeed with no visible means of emergency exit. A disaster will occur here.
I had the opportunity to spend a delightful weekend in Rome with my family. Of course, we endured the queues and were successful in visiting the Vatican Museum. Surely there is no other place on Earth like it.
The biggest surprise to me was the Sistine Chapel. Yes, it is stagering in its beauty. However the biggest surprise was how unsafe it appeared to be. One small door in. One small door out. Despite this, thousands of people squeezed into a very small space indeed with no visible means of emergency exit. A disaster will occur here.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Microsoft Word Help FAQ. How to control bullets in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word Help FAQ. How to control bullets in Microsoft Word
And how to save time with outlining http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/UsingOLView.htm and overall Word help at http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/
And how to save time with outlining http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/UsingOLView.htm and overall Word help at http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/
Open Source vs. Proprietary for Business Benefit
David Wheeler has written an oustandingly lucent article about Open Source vs. Proprietary software, taking the business and risk viewpoint. He carefully debunks much of the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) with real data and information.
This paper provides quantitative data that, in many cases, using open source software / free software is a reasonable or even superior approach to using their proprietary competition according to various measures. This paper’s goal is to show that you should consider using OSS/FS when acquiring software. This paper examines market share, reliability, performance, scalability, security, and total cost of ownership. It also has sections on non-quantitative issues, unnecessary fears, OSS/FS on the desktop, usage reports, other sites providing related information, and ends with some conclusions. An appendix gives more background information about OSS/FS. You can view this paper at http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html (HTML format). Palm PDA users may wish to use Plucker to view this. A short briefing based on this paper is also available in PDF and Open Office Impress formats (for the latter, use Open Office Impress). Old archived copies and a list of changes are also available.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Sunday, August 29, 2004
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
Maybe instead of searching for finger-nail clippers, security agents at airports should check vacationing travellers for carring work-related paraphernalia. If found they should confiscate.
I can see it now. instead of those plexi-glas boxes holding oodles of nail clippers, safety razors, etc., we'll have boxes full of mobil phones, laptop computers, PDAs, pens, pencils, paper, ...
Maybe instead of searching for finger-nail clippers, security agents at airports should check vacationing travellers for carring work-related paraphernalia. If found they should confiscate.
I can see it now. instead of those plexi-glas boxes holding oodles of nail clippers, safety razors, etc., we'll have boxes full of mobil phones, laptop computers, PDAs, pens, pencils, paper, ...
Saturday, August 28, 2004
C-SPAN.org: Search Results
C-SPAN.org: Search Results
Short 10-minute interview with John Kerry in 1971 where he talks about throwing away his medals. Interesting he felt that minority veterans were a menace as they were "taught to kill".
Short 10-minute interview with John Kerry in 1971 where he talks about throwing away his medals. Interesting he felt that minority veterans were a menace as they were "taught to kill".
Friday, August 27, 2004
NEWS.com.au | Plane crash a terror attack: authorities (August 27, 2004)
NEWS.com.au | Plane crash a terror attack: authorities (August 27, 2004)
It appears as though the dual plane crashes in Russia were caused by explosives.
It appears as though the dual plane crashes in Russia were caused by explosives.
Security by Obscurity Leads to Safety Risk
Jimmy Breslin writes in Newsday about the diachotomy of security in New York City in preparation for the Republican Convention. While hoards of police check people for hidden finger nail clippers, they cause a real and serious safety risk, which could result in death, by practicing "security by obscurity". Next, I guess, will be to emulate cold-war Moscow where published city maps were just plain wrong so as to confuse invading armies. Golly gee.
"At 75th Street yesterday, behind an empty park bench, were two posts that always held the sign that had been there for years and which stated: "Warning. Do Not Anchor or Dredge, Gas Pipelines Crossing, Continental Gas Pipeline Corp." As an act of homeland security, the sign has been taken down. This meant that nobody would know anymore that the pipeline was right under their feet. The sign at the 175th Street site also has been removed. This is bureaucratic voodoo: You take something everybody knows and say it is a secret."
"At 75th Street yesterday, behind an empty park bench, were two posts that always held the sign that had been there for years and which stated: "Warning. Do Not Anchor or Dredge, Gas Pipelines Crossing, Continental Gas Pipeline Corp." As an act of homeland security, the sign has been taken down. This meant that nobody would know anymore that the pipeline was right under their feet. The sign at the 175th Street site also has been removed. This is bureaucratic voodoo: You take something everybody knows and say it is a secret."
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger
Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger
Bob Scoble writes eloquently about computer security. I especially like his description of how his wife's heirloom jewlery is protected and uses that to make the point about layered security in computing.
I think a large component of the computer security "problem" is that this is really the first time that "normal people" have to contend with and understand security if they wish to be more secure. This is the first time in history that huge numbers of "normal" people have important "assets" that are under continued "attack"--computers on the internet.
Before now, people knew to have, or consider having, locks on their front door. They watch their wallet and handbag when walking through big cities. They lock their car doors when going into the grocery store even if only for a few minutes. Despite this, the vast majority of people hae never been "attacked". Security incidents, even though worried about, just didn't happen (to most people).
"Designed" security, say for heirloom jewelry, was designed by others. While normal people recognise that security exists, understood the need for that security, and even sought it (e.g. for jewelry or cash money) they didn't really need to understand it. They don't know how to establish an understanding of risk and controls. (They haven't read Bruce Schneir's books http://www.rmschneider.com/writing/Schneier_5steps.html).
In today's world, "normal people" are now forced for the first time to really understand security on their internet connected computer. They feel they are under attack. They see evidence they are under attack. But they don't know, and in general are not interested, knowing how to design a security system in defence.
They just want it taken care of, preferably by Microsoft.
Bob Scoble writes eloquently about computer security. I especially like his description of how his wife's heirloom jewlery is protected and uses that to make the point about layered security in computing.
I think a large component of the computer security "problem" is that this is really the first time that "normal people" have to contend with and understand security if they wish to be more secure. This is the first time in history that huge numbers of "normal" people have important "assets" that are under continued "attack"--computers on the internet.
Before now, people knew to have, or consider having, locks on their front door. They watch their wallet and handbag when walking through big cities. They lock their car doors when going into the grocery store even if only for a few minutes. Despite this, the vast majority of people hae never been "attacked". Security incidents, even though worried about, just didn't happen (to most people).
"Designed" security, say for heirloom jewelry, was designed by others. While normal people recognise that security exists, understood the need for that security, and even sought it (e.g. for jewelry or cash money) they didn't really need to understand it. They don't know how to establish an understanding of risk and controls. (They haven't read Bruce Schneir's books http://www.rmschneider.com/writing/Schneier_5steps.html).
In today's world, "normal people" are now forced for the first time to really understand security on their internet connected computer. They feel they are under attack. They see evidence they are under attack. But they don't know, and in general are not interested, knowing how to design a security system in defence.
They just want it taken care of, preferably by Microsoft.
Sunday, August 15, 2004
The New York Times > National > Uranium Reactors on Campus Raise Security Concerns
The New York Times > National > Uranium Reactors on Campus Raise Security Concerns
Funny how things change over time. As a student at Purdue in the early 1970's I would often walk across the Mall heading towards the Electrical Engineering building and forget there was a nuclear reactor under ground ... or at least that was what was understood by most. I now agree that it makes no sense to have reactors as described in this NY Times articles on university campuses due to security issues that we now recognise.
Funny how things change over time. As a student at Purdue in the early 1970's I would often walk across the Mall heading towards the Electrical Engineering building and forget there was a nuclear reactor under ground ... or at least that was what was understood by most. I now agree that it makes no sense to have reactors as described in this NY Times articles on university campuses due to security issues that we now recognise.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
:: Xinhuanet - English ::
:: Xinhuanet - English ::
Now this is interesting....
"Russian scientists said they have discovered the wreck of an alien device at the site of an unexplained explosion in Siberia almost a hundred years ago, China Daily reported today, citing the Interfax news agency as the source".
Now this is interesting....
"Russian scientists said they have discovered the wreck of an alien device at the site of an unexplained explosion in Siberia almost a hundred years ago, China Daily reported today, citing the Interfax news agency as the source".
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